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On crumbling old walls, nature reclaims its ground in the Orchids and Aroids Conservatory

Photo: Jardin botanique de Montréal (Michel Tremblay)

Orchid (Dendrobium kingianum)

Photo: Jardin botanique de Montréal (Gilles Murray)

Aroid (Anthurium longilaminatum)

Photo: Jardin botanique de Montréal (Gilles Murray)

Aroid (Monstera deliciosa 'Albovariegata')

Photo: Jardin botanique de Montréal (Gilles Murray)

Aroid (Caladium 'Florida Cardinal')

Photo: Jardin botanique de Montréal (Gilles Murray)

Orchids and Aroids Greenhouse

Photo: Jardin botanique de Montréal (Michel Tremblay)

Orchids and Aroids Greenhouse

Photo: Michel Tremblay

Onglets

Description

This greenhouse contains some fabulous orchid and aroid specimens in a setting resembling the ruins of an ancient fortress invaded by tropical plants. Different species and cultivars are displayed here when in bloom and at their showiest.

Worth exploring

Orchids: highly evolved, but vulnerable

The fact that there are so many orchids — 750 genera and 30,000 species — in so many places around the globe is evidence of their tremendous adaptability and of how they have evolved in close step with the organisms that help them multiply. They often rely on a specific type of insect to fertilize them!

Aroids: not so showy, but still fascinating

There are close to 110 genera and 3,300 species of aroids, found mostly in tropical regions. While their flowers are less striking, these plants display some ingenious adaptations. A number of them — dieffenbachias, philodendrons and pothos — make great, hardy houseplants.

Did you know?

Did you know?

Teuscher, a great orchid fancier!

Have you heard of Henry Teuscher (1891-1984)? He was a horticulturist and landscape architect. In fact, he designed the Montréal Botanical Garden before being named its first superintendent. With his boundless enthusiasm for orchids, he started the Garden’s orchid collection. He was rewarded for his work by having a genus of orchids, Teuscheria, named after him.

The orchid collection

The orchid collection is one of the Montréal Botanical Garden's largest and most significant, both in terms of its size and popularity. It contains close to 4,000 specimens, representing only 276 of the 750 known genera.

Lifting the veil

Orchid roots are covered in a veil, called the velamen, made up of several layers of sponge-like cells. It is very useful, playing a variety of roles. When there is lots of water available, it fills up with moisture that the plant can use if conditions change. If the plant comes into contact with tree bark, the velamen cells become sticky, allowing the orchid to cling to its host.